U.S. patent number 4,184,221 [Application Number 05/931,740] was granted by the patent office on 1980-01-22 for bath brush.
Invention is credited to Elizabeth G. Edwards.
United States Patent |
4,184,221 |
Edwards |
January 22, 1980 |
Bath brush
Abstract
A bath brush having an elongated, continuously curved element
terminating in a handle at one end portion and in a brush
arrangement at the other end portion thereof. The element is curved
continuously at a rate of curvature comparable to a clothes hanger.
The brush arrangement includes an enlarged head forming a
substantially planar surface from which project codirectionally a
plurality of bristles, with the brush arrangement further including
a pair of clips disposed on either side of the bristles for
removably holding a face cloth, and the like, on the enlarged head
of the element so as to cover the bristles in order to facilitate
bathing with the brush.
Inventors: |
Edwards; Elizabeth G.
(Nashville, TN) |
Family
ID: |
25461274 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/931,740 |
Filed: |
August 7, 1978 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/114; 15/143.1;
15/210.1; 15/231; 401/6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K
7/028 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47K
7/02 (20060101); A47K 007/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;15/114,115,143R,160,21R,231 ;D4/12,31,32 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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497822 |
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Dec 1950 |
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BE |
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136270 |
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Nov 1902 |
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DE2 |
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158997 |
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Mar 1905 |
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DE2 |
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822721 |
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Nov 1951 |
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DE |
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857227 |
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Apr 1940 |
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FR |
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156964 |
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Nov 1956 |
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SE |
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Primary Examiner: Coe; Philip R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: O'Brien; Clarence A. Jacobson;
Harvey B.
Claims
What is claimed as new is as follows:
1. An elongated bath brush structure having remote opposite sides
and defining an elongated longitudinal handle portion terminating
at one end in an enlarged head, said head including brush bristles
extending generally codirectionally from said head outwardly of one
of said sides, said head including a first elongated outwardly
projecting resilient clip supported from and projecting outwardly
of the other side of said structure and inclined outwardly toward
the other end of said handle, the outer end of said clip
terminating in an inwardly angled terminal end also inclined toward
said other handle end and terminating a spaced distance outwardly
from said other of said sides, said structure further including a
second elongated outwardly projecting resilient clip supported from
and projecting outwardly from said one side of said structure and
inclined outwardly toward the other end of said handle, the outer
end of said second clip also terminating in an inwardly angled
terminal end inclined toward said handle other end and terminating
a spaced distance outwardly from said one side, said second clip
being spaced from said bristles toward the end of said handle
portion remote from said head, said second clip being adapted to
clampingly engage a first marginal portion of a washcloth between
the terminal end of said second clip and said one side of said
structure and said first clip being adapted to clampingly engage a
remote marginal portion of said washcloth between the terminal end
of said first clip and said other side of said structure with the
portions of said washcloth extending between the remote marginal
portions thereof extending over the outer ends of said bristles and
the end of said structure from which said head is supported.
2. The bath brush structure in claim 1, wherein said structure is
curved substantially continuously between the opposite ends thereof
with said one and other sides being convex and concave,
respectively.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to brushes, and particularly to a
brush suitable for use while bathing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is generally known to provide brushes having long handles, an
example of which can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,575, issued
Mar. 11, 1969, to A. Petersen, for facilitating the washing of ones
back during bathing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,611, issued Feb. 3, 1976,
to L. Locher, discloses another example of such a brush intended
for use in the care and cleaning of the body, and particularly for
body massage, which employs a curved handle having a gripping
portion at one end and bristles disposed at the other end of the
handle.
It is also generally known to provide brushes with retainers for
holding a cloth, and the like, for use during dusting and similar
functions. Examples of such arrangements can be found in U.S. Pat.
Nos.: 682,258, issued Sept. 10, 1901, to S. Jensen; and 3,034,165,
issued May 15, 1962, to F. S. Christian. Further, U.S. Pat. No.
1,515,275, issued Nov. 11, 1924, to M. J. Pringle, discloses a
window washing and cleaning brush which permits a cleaning cloth to
be draped over the brush head, while U.S. Pat. No. 1,373,192,
issued Mar. 29, 1921, to O. L. Lance, discloses a brush provided
with an arrangement for removably retaining a steel-wool scrubbing
pad, and the like, within the brush.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,807,281, issued May 26, 1931, to P. A. Cross,
discloses a long handle brush having a removable handle
arrangement, while U.S. Pat. No. 1,746,075, issue Feb. 4, 1930, to
G. Edwards, discloses a combined massage and bath brush wherein the
brush itself is straped onto the body of the user so as to be
selectively moved over the surface of the body while in direct
contact therewith.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bath brush
which is simple of construction, yet convenient and efficient to
use.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a long
handle bath brush having a handle curvature permitting optimum use
of the brush for scrubbing ones back during bathing, and similar
functions.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bath
brush provided with retainers for holding a face cloth, and the
like, over the bristles of the brush to further enhance the utility
and efficiency of the brush as a bath brush.
These and other objects are achieved according to the present
invention by providing a bath brush having an elongated element
terminating in a pair of end portions, one of the end portions
forming a handle, and with a brush arrangement being provided on
the other of the end portions of the element.
The element is curved continuously between the end portions
thereof, with the rate of curvature preferably being comparable to
that of the curved portion of a conventional wooden clothes hanger,
and the like.
The brush arrangement advantageously includes an enlarged head
forming a substantially planar surface, with a plurality of
bristles extending codirectionally from the planar surface. The
planar surface of the head partially forms a concave side of the
curved element so that the bristles extend into the concave portion
of the brush.
The brush arrangement further includes a retainer assembly provided
on the element for movably holding a piece of flexible material,
such as a face cloth, on the element in such a manner as to cover
the bristles of the brush arrangement. This retainer assembly
preferably includes a pair of resilient clips, with one of the
clips being arranged on the enlarged head so as to extend from a
planar face of the head, which face is disposed substantially
parallel to, but spaced from, the substantially planar surface of
the head. The other of the clips is arranged on the element
adjacent the substantially planar surface of the head, and disposed
between the enlarged head and the one of the ends of the element
which terminates the handle of the brush.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and
operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part
hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a bath brush according to the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing the brush of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, sectional view, taken generally along the
line 3--3 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view, showing
in detail the left hand portion of FIG. 2, but with a cloth shown
disposed covering the bristles of the brush.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now more particularly to the figures of the drawing, a
bath brush 10 according to the present invention comprises an
elongated element 12 having a pair of end portions, one of the end
portions forming a handle 14 and the other of the end portions of
element 12 terminating in a brush arrangement 16. As can best be
seen from FIG. 2, element 12 is curved continuously between the end
portions thereof, with the rate of curvature preferably being
comparable to that conventional for the well-known and commonly
employed wooden clothes hanger.
Brush arrangement 16 includes an enlarged head 18 forming a
substantially planar surface 20, with a plurality of bristles 22
extending codirectionally from such planar surface 20. The latter
is disposed partially forming a concave side 24 of element 12.
Brush arrangement 16 further includes a retainer assembly 26
provided on element 12 for removably holding a piece of flexible
material, such as face cloth C, on element 12 in a position
covering the bristles 22. More specifically, retainer assembly 26
includes a pair of elongated inclined resilient clips 28 and 30
terminating outwardly in inwardly angled terminal ends 28' and 30',
with clip 28 being arranged on the enlarged head 18 of element 12
so as to project from a substantially planar face 32 of element 12,
face 32 being disposed substantially parallel to, but spaced from,
planar surface 20 of head 18, and clip 30 being arranged on element
12 adjacent to surface 20 of head 18, but disposed between head 18
and handle 14 terminating at the one of the end portions of element
12.
Although both surface 20 and face 32 were referred to above as
being substantially planar, it will be appreciated that due to the
curvature of element 12, surface 20 and face 32 will actually have
a slight curvature thereto, although the relatively finite extent
of same permit these sides of head 18 to be considered
substantially planar.
As can be readily understood from the above description and from
the drawing, a bath brush according to the present invention will
permit scrubbing of ones arms and backs in a convenient and
efficient manner. Further, a cloth C can be clipped onto the brush
as by the clips 28 and 30 so as to hold the cloth in place on the
brush during certain scrubbing operations. Further, the curvature
of the handle forming element of the brush permits normally
inaccessible areas of a person's back to be readily reached without
inconvenience and strain.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles
of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes
will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation
shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications
and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *